writing techniques
Writing technique – secrets of dramatic action
Why are car chases boring? Because they’re undramatic! In dramatic writing, “dramatic action” has a particular definition. It means action with a clear, urgent motivation behind it. Action that lacks intention is simply movement, and scenes without it turn out somehow flat, even if they’re full of energy on the surface. Once you’ve grasped the…
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Deliberate practice writing – how to improve your technique faster
Deliberate practice writing is a fast, effective way to improve. Just as musicians practise scales and golfers practise their swing systematically, writers, too, can practise the nuts and bolts of craft. It’s easy to do, too. Simply break your process down into steps, and repeat those small elements until they feel familiar and natural.…
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Deliberate practice for writers
How do you become a genius? With ‘deliberate practice’! It works in the fields of music, art, sport, even tech – so why not in creative writing? The buzz around deliberate practice really took off with Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers: The Story of Success, and the idea that it takes 10,000 hours to achieve mastery in…
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What is Method Writing?
It’s a writing approach where you try living like your character – similar to method acting. It’s a form of deep research where you immerse yourself in their experiences, so you can write more authentically. Training as a boxer in order to write as a boxer, for example.
What’s the definition of method writing?
The Urban Dictionary defines a “method writer” as an author who uses a technique of writing in which he/she identifies emotionally with a character in the story and assumes that character’s persona in the telling.
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Creative writing hooks – 5 powerful techniques to try
Creative writing hooks can grab your readers’ attention! Here are some tips and strategies for creating powerful hooks. Writing hook 1 – Flip normality Jesse was deeply in love with a tree.The woman walked across the water.It had unusually large wings for a dog. Why does this technique work? Because we’re wired to notice the…
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Sensory writing 1 – touch and texture
Sensory writing is a great way to bring your readers close, whatever your writing form – fiction, poetry, scripts or copywriting. Find out how to use the senses of touch and texture to allow readers to experience your created worlds more deeply. The other senses – including smell, sounds – are powerful, but touch and…
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Writing technique – 5 tips on the ticking time bomb
Ten, nine, eight… the ticking time bomb and countdown clock are a familiar technique in creative writing. You’ll find them everywhere – in films, fiction, copywriting, setting in motion a high-stakes race against the clock. These writing devices aren’t always literal, of course – they’re often metaphorical. So, what are ticking clocks used for, and…
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What’s your writers’ group really about?
Is your writers’ group really about writing, or is something else going on? If you’re sensing danger signs, maybe it’s time to move on? If you’re a newbie creative writer, there’s nothing more wonderful than finding a group of like-minded souls who are all passionate about the craft of writing, books, reading, and all the things…
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How to write an interactive storytelling script
For a Christmas performance, I wrote a script with interactive storytelling elements to appeal to a mixed family audience. It was a children’s show, but adults needed to be engaged, too! Here are some of the simple dramatic techniques we used to make the experience playful, fun and engaging for the audience. I’ve seen and…
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